Thread mapping

Abstract

There is provided a method for thread allocation in a multi-processor computing system. The method includes determining whether a thread for execution has a security requirement. The thread is allocated to one of a first processing unit or a second processing unit based on the determination. The thread is allocated for execution by the first processing unit based on the thread having the security requirement.

1 . A method for thread allocation in a multi-processor computing system, the method comprising:
 determining whether a thread for execution has a security requirement   allocating the thread to one of a first processing unit or a second processing unit based on the determination, wherein the thread is allocated for execution by the first processing unit based on the thread having the security requirement.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first processing unit has a lower performance than the second processing unit. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the micro-architecture of the first processing unit is simpler than the second processing unit. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second processing units use a same or similar instruction set. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the thread is determined as having a security requirement if it relates to un-trusted code or sensitive code. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the thread includes code relating to security data which upon inspection allows the determination to be made. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination is made according to a digital security policy. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the digital security policy is applied autonomously by inspecting a thread for a property that indicates that it has a security requirement. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the property includes any of an instruction or group of instructions relating to a security sensitive function, or a metric indicating suspicious activity by the thread. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus comprising one or more processors configured to:
 determine whether a thread for execution has a security requirement;   allocate the thread to one of a first processing unit or a second processing unit based on the determination, wherein the thread is allocated for execution by the first processing unit based on the thread having the security requirement.   
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the first processing unit has a lower performance than the second processing unit. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the thread is determined as having a security requirement if it relates to un-trusted code or sensitive code. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the thread includes security data which allows the determination to be made. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the determination is made according to a digital security policy. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor, the machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to:
 determine whether a thread for execution has a security requirement;   allocate the thread to one of a first processing unit or a second processing unit based on the determination, wherein the thread is allocated for execution by the first processing unit based on the thread having the security requirement.